We are a Nation doped up on hypocrisy and anesthetized to the double-standard wherein one group is pardoned for the same actions for which another is condemned.
One where the reputations and records of baseball immortals like 7-time Cy Young award winning pitcher Roger Clemens, All-time Home Run Champion Barry Bonds and former Viagra Spokesperson Rafael Palmerio are tarnished forever for a SINGLE positive drug test or for the ALLEGED use of performance enhancing drugs; yet it’s the same country in which women can openly, knowingly and brazenly take drugs during labor to enhance the performance of their delivery.
Am I pushing your buttons yet? If I am just know I’m pushing the natural way; without an epidural.
Natural child birth was all but abandoned in the 1980’s (the beginning of the Epidural Era) and by the early 90’s nearly 50% of all American women used epidurals during child birth; a number that is today closer to 90%. Is it a coincidence that this increase in delivery room drug use parallels the so-called Steroid Era in Baseball?
The hallowed halls of America’s National Pastime echo with the outcry from both the media and public claiming that performance enhancers such as Steroids and HGH have ruined the game, but if that is true than the floral printed halls of maternity wards nationwide should be echoing with the same critical chorus of disapproval condemning women who use Prostaglandins and Epidurals for ruining the miracle of childbirth.
Deep breaths now, there’s more.
Players who never once tested positive for drugs were nonetheless subpoenaed to testify before congress in 2005 and now again in 2008 about performance enhancing drugs in baseball, yet where are the subpoenas, the indictments, and the Grand Jury Testimony from woman who took shortcuts during labor to delivery the baby faster, avoid pain and essentially dishonor their unborn children?
The movie was called “The Natural” for a reason ladies. Roy Hobbs named his bat Wonderboy not Demerol. I’m sure Robert Redford agrees with me.
I demand that Congress get involved to rid childbirth of drugs once and for all and institute mandatory testing for woman one week prior and one week following the delivery of their babies. For mothers who test positive for drugs their children’s birth records should expunged from the public registry and an asterisk legally placed next to their name.
Maybe then expecting mothers will think twice before juicing during labor. Maybe then we can finally clean up the game.
